Thursday, February 20, 2014

The cause Lee believes will help build bridges among Republicans? Combating poverty.

...

But arguably none have been as committed to the cause in recent months as Lee, who declared a “war on poverty” last November.

...

Smith is even more scathing of another proposal contained in Lee’s bill: capping means-tested welfare spending at 2007 levels, a move the senator says will save $2.5tn. The reduction would be adjusted for inflation, phased in over three years, and only come into force when unemployment is below 6%.

But it still constitutes a dramatic reduction on government money spent on the poor – distorting a budget that ordinarily rises and falls depending on the performance of the economy. “It doesn’t make sense,” Smith said. “It can only hurt the most vulnerable people.”